{"podcast":{"title":"Real Leadership","slug":"real-leadership-6416273","podcast_index_feed_id":6416273,"rss_url":"https://feed.podbean.com/real-leadership/feed.xml","website_url":"https://real-leadership.podbean.com","image_url":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/16325038/Real-Leadership-PodBean.jpg","author":"real-leadership","episode_count":52,"summary":"Welcome to REAL Leadership, the podcast that takes you on a journey behind the scenes of some of the world’s most successful companies. Produced by The О̄nin Group and hosted by COO Jim Weaver, our show is dedicated to exploring what it truly means to be a leader in industries that make, move and process. In each episode, Jim sits down with C-level executives to discuss their experiences and insights on leadership, as well as the challenges and opportunities that come with leading in dynamic environments. Our guests come from a range of industries, including logistics and manufacturing, and offer real stories and actionable advice to inspire you to take your leadership to the next level. If you’re a seasoned executive or aspiring leader looking to sharpen your leadership skills and stay ahead of the game, then this is the podcast for you. Join us as we dive deep into the world of REAL Leadership.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-10T04:19:20.802550+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/real-leadership-6416273"},"episode":{"title":"Tom Shoupe, Former EVP & CEO of Honda of America Manufacturing, Real Leadership","slug":"tom-shoupe-former-evp-ceo-of-honda-of-america-manufacturing-real-leadership","published_at":"2026-01-20T14:58:59+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/real-leadership-6416273/tom-shoupe-former-evp-ceo-of-honda-of-america-manufacturing-real-leadership","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/real-leadership-6416273","url":"https://real-leadership.podbean.com/e/tom-shoupe-former-evp-ceo-of-honda-of-america-manufacturing/","audio_url":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/qbkqfib8jjugtzzv/RL_S03E01_Tom_Shoupe67v6k.mp3","summary":"Tom Shoupe never planned on a career in manufacturing. He started in public service, working in Washington, D.C., far from factory floors and production lines. Then Honda called. At the time, the company was still a young experiment in American manufacturing — betting that people, not just product, would determine its future. Tom said yes to the opportunity. That decision shaped the next 33 years of his life. Over three decades, Tom became the first American to lead a Honda manufacturing facility and ultimately served as EVP & CEO of Honda of America Manufacturing, overseeing operations that touched nearly 40,000 people across North America. He spent years living and working in Japan, helping translate a deeply Japanese leadership philosophy into a U.S. manufacturing context — without diluting it. But this episode isn’t about titles or scale. It’s about how leadership actually works when the stakes are real. In this episode of Real Leadership, Tom breaks down what it takes to build organizations that last — not just through growth, but through leadership transitions, cultural strain, and constant change. In this episode, we cover: Why a leader’s most important job is building an organization that can outlast them How “every interaction is an opportunity” became a daily leadership discipline What going to the gemba really looks like — and why proximity beats position Why leadership development fails when it becomes theoretical How faith, humility, and curiosity shaped Tom’s leadership across cultures Key Moments 03:28 – From Washington, D.C. to Honda 06:15 – Respect for the individual and the “Three Joys” 17:08 – Leadership on the factory floor 32:41 – Every interaction is an opportunity 44:27 – Why leadership development is a CEO responsibility 53:10 – Lighting the…","meta_description":"Tom Shoupe never planned on a career in manufacturing. He started in public service, working in Washington, D.C., far from factory floors and production l…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3589,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/real-leadership-6416273/episodes/tom-shoupe-former-evp-ceo-of-honda-of-america-manufacturing-real-leadership/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/real-leadership-6416273/tom-shoupe-former-evp-ceo-of-honda-of-america-manufacturing-real-leadership.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}